Garment-supporter.



3 PATENTED JUNE 27,-1905.

' M. J. PENN.

GARMENT SUPPORTBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

MEL

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 6A ZZ M. 0/6. lvfrw 4r" Affomey NQ.793,466. PATENTED JUNEYQV, 1905. M. J. PENN.

GARMENT SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

MARY JANE PENN, OF BATAVIA, OHIO.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,466, dated June 27, 1905.

( Application filed May 28, 1904. Serial No. 210,173.

To aZZ 11/720111 it may concern:

Be it known thatI, MARY JANE PENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Batavia, in the county of Olermont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Supporters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to garment-supporters, and more particularly to skirt supporters 'or lifters; and the object of the invention is to provide a skirt-lifter which will lift and carry the skirt in lifted position by an invisible means, so that every point of the bottom of the skirt will be free from the ground, that it will hang evenly around the feet of the wearer, and no higher at any point than is absolutely necessary to escape the ground.

Another object is to lift the skirt without drawing it tightly around the figure of the wearer and to carry the skirts without the use of hands.

Another object is to save women from lugging heavy skirts, to leave the hands free for other purposes, to add to the comfort of the wearer, appearance, cleanliness, and render her less liable to take cold from wet skirts, and avoid the necessity of frequently renewing worn skirt-bindings.

The supporter is for every-day wear, but especially valuable for rainy days or dusty weather and for those who must carry children, packages, or work.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination and arrangements of parts, as described in this specification, illustrated in the drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a back view of my combined skirt supporter and lifter, the detached rings at the bottom of the view being located on the inner side of a dress-skirt. Fig. 2 is a side view of the supporter and lifter. Fig. 3 is a detail View showing the position of supporting-belt when skirt-lifter is in use. Fig. 4 illustrates a broken portion at the rear of a skirt with means for connection to belt. Fig. 5 is a detail view of rear fastener for belt. Fig. 6 is 5 a vertical central section through one of the tongues and slotted plates for holding up the skirt. Fig. 7 is a perspective view from the side and rear of a modified form of my invention applicable to exceptionally long dressskirts. Fig. 8 is a detail of fastening of the belt at the rear. Fig. 9 is a modified fastening at the side of the belt. I

I shall describe herein one embodiment of my invention and one modification thereof, the first embodiment of my invention applying to skirts for ordinary wear in the house or on street.

The means used to accomplish the aboveset-forth objects of my invention consist of the supporter proper, which is a belt, as 1, adapted to be fastened around a ladys waist by buckles 2 2 and having at its rear means consisting of two vertical metallic pieces 3 3, located at each side of the center line of the belt for supporting the skirt on the person. These metallic pieces are secured in pockets forming a part of the belt, and the said pieces are curved to conform to the shape of the wearer. The upper ends of the metallic pieces are fashioned into tongues, which are adapted to project into slotted plates 4, which plates are secured to the skirt to be supported.

The construction thus far described is embodied in my application, Serial No. 210,172, dated May 28, 1904, filed of even date with this application, and is in itself a complete and eflicient skirt-supporter.

' My present invention is a combined supporter and lifterthat is, it holds the skirt in position properly on the person and when necessary lifts the lower part of the skirt from the ground. The lifting mechanism consists of cords connected to the skirt and belt, as will be described.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the skirt to be lifted is provided with five rings 5 6 7 8 9, located on the inner side of the skirt at the rear thereof and at a suitable distance, to be predetermined, from the ground. To these rings are connected the cords which are to lift the skirt. Located on the belt and preferably on the two buckles 2 2 at each side of the front center are two hooks 2 2, and at each side of the belt midway the front and rear lines are located double rings 10 10. The rear connection for the belt is formed by a buckle 11,, having loops 12 12 therein. These hooks and loops are for guiding and fastening the cords which are the means for lifting the skirt. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the cord 5 has a fastening-hook 5", adapted to hook into ring 5 at the other end, the cord being fastended to ring C after passing through one of the rings 10. Cord 6 is provided with a hook 6 and adapted to hook into ring 6. The cord is passed through the loop 12, thence through one of the double rings 10, and also fastened to ring O. Ring C is in turn provided with a cord 14:, which is passed around toward the front of the person and has at its end the fastener 15, which, as shown in Fig. 2, is adapted to be hooked over the hook 2. Another cord 16 is attached to said fastener 15, and said cord is passed to the front center of the belt and may be there secured in any manner desirable; but the essential fastening of the cord is at the hooks 2 and 15. Referring'again to Fig. 1, cords 7 and 8, having hooks 7 and 8", respectively, are hooked to the rings? and 8. The cords then pass through the loop 12 at the right of the buckle 11 toward the right, thence through one of the double rings 10, where they are fastened to the ring 0'. Cord 9, with its hook 9, adapted to hook into ring 9 on the skirt, is also passed through one of rings 10 and fastened to ring 0. From this point a cord similar to cord 14 is passed to duplicate fasteners 2 15 at the right side of the wearer and there fastened and may be continued to the front, as described, of the left-hand side cords. Itwill thus be observed that I provide five cords, each having connection to a ring located on the inside of the skirt and disposed in such manner as to best lift the skirt where most desired. The rings 5 and 9 are near'the side centers of the skirt, the ring 7 in the rear center, and the rings 6 and 8 disposed at desired positions between said rings.

The application of the device is as follows: The belt being adjusted around the waist of the wearer, with the cords hanging at the rear in proper position, the skirt will be put on over the head and allowed to fall nearly to its proper position with the slotted plates fastened to said skirt just over the tongues of the belt. By a simple adjustment the skirt will then be permitted to fall to position so that said tongues will enter said slots, and thus support the skirt. The hooks at the ends of the cords are then inserted into the rings on the inner side of the skirt, and if it is not desired to lift the skirt said cords may be allowed to remain in their extended position.

If it is desired to lift the skirt, the ends of the two cords 16 are grasped at the front and pulled (assuming the parts 2 and 15 to be unfastened) until the rings 0 and G are brought round to the fasteners or hooks 2, through position by hanging the rings C and C. over the hooks 2. In this position the skirt will remain lifted and hang by its own weight from the hooks 2 and rings G G. The lifted skirt may be let down by removing the rings fromthe hooks and the weight of the skirt will pull the device back to the original lowered position, or if theskirtis not sufficiently heavy to do this a slight pull on the back of the skirt will have the desired effect.

The belt containing the skirt supporters or uprights and lifter is Worn on the outside of the shirt-waist and inside of the dress-skirt. To adjust the belt, it should be fastened around the waist, then the snap-hooks are fastened to the rings on the skirt, and the skirtsupporter adjusted to position. The belt may be fastened in front or at the back; but it is more convenient to fasten it at the back, leaving a loop of belting and buckle at the front,

by which the size may be regulated, as will be understood by reference to buckle at the front of the belt.

As will be observed in Fig. 1, the rings 6 7 8 are placed higher on the inside of the skirt than the side rings, as the back part of the skirt is longer and requires more of a lift than the sides of the skirt.

Cords A and B may be connected to the cords, as shown in Fig. l, for guides or braces.

In the modified form of my construction, as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9, said modification is designed for use with skirts of extra length, such as party dresses. Referring to Fig. 7, it will be seen that I employ six cords for lifting the skirt. tened at its ends by snap-hooks to rings J J and being passed through the loops of the rear buckle is held by the ring D, the ring D in turn having attached thereto cord L and said cord attached to the fastening means 15, which is hooked over hook 2. The cord I is attached by snap-hook toring J and passes through one of the double rings 10 and is fastened to ring 0. To lift the skirt, it is only necessary to pull the cords by rings 0 and D around toward the front and hook said rings over the hook 2. .Both sides of the belt being the same, the operation at the right-hand side of the figure will be duplicated. It will be observed that the pull on the cords I I is greater than that of cord 1. This arrangement is necessary because the back of a skirt requires a longer lift than the sides, and this modified lifter is designed to meet the re- The string I being fasquirements of extra long skirts. The skirt is let down by the same method described of the first embodiment. To increase or shorten the lift of the skirt, the cords or strings may be lengthened or decreased in length and the rings on the skirt may be set at a greater or less distance from the bottom thereof.

\Nhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. In a skirt supporter and lifter, a belt, means connected to and located above said belt for supporting a skirt. and lifting-cords adapted to be fastened on the belt, guides on the belt, and said cords passed through the guides, whereby the skirt may be lifted and secured in lifted position.

2. A supporter and lifter consisting of a belt, skirt-supporting means projecting above from said belt; a buckle at the rear of the belt having loops, and duplicate cords adapted to be detachably connected to a skirt, whereby the skirt may be raised from the ground, said cords being passed through said loops and provided with rings adapted to be connected with hooks on the belt.

3. A garment-lifter consisting of a support to be worn about the waist, a buckle connecting the support at the rear having guidingloops thereon, duplicate lifting-cords passed through said loops having detachable means for connection with the garment, and having rings at their free ends to connect with books on the support, whereby the garment may be held in lifted position.

4:. A garment-lifter consistingof a support to be worn about the waist, a buckle connecting the support at the rear having guidingloops at each side thereof, duplicate cords passed through said loops having means for detachable connection with the garment, said cords differing in length adapted to be attached to the garment at varying heights to lift the garment uniformly, and rings on the free ends of the cords adapted to be connected with hooks on the support, whereby the garment may be held in lifted position.

5. A skirt-lifter consisting of a belt, a buckle in the rear thereof provided with loops, duplicate lifting-cords at each side of and a lifting-cord in the center of the rear of the belt provided with snap-hooks, adapted to be connected to a skirt, a majority of said cords passing through the loops on said buckle, and some of said cords connected at the sides of the belt, said duplicate cords connected to a single cord at each side of the belt, and means for holding said single cords fast to the belt when said skirt is lifted.

6. A skirt-lifter consisting of a belt, a buckle at the rear thereof provided with loops, double rings located at each side of the belt, and hooks between said rings and the front center of the belt, duplicate cords having means for attachment to said hooks and connected to a single ring, cords connected to said ring and passing through said double rings and detachably connected to attaching means on the skirt,

and a plurality of said cords passing through the loops on the buckle at the rear of the belt. 7. A skirt-lifter consisting of a support adapted for adjustment around the waist of the wearer, a buckle at the rear of said support provided with loops, double rings located on each side of the belt, and hooks between said rings and the front center of the support, duplicate cords having attaching-eyes for connection with said hooks and connected to a single ring, cords connected to said ring and passed through said double rings and provided with snap-hooks at their ends, a plurality of said cords passing through the loopson the buckle at the rear of the support, and rings located on the inside of the skirt adapted to be engaged by said snap-hooks.

8. A skirt-lifter consisting of a support adapted for adjustment around the waist of the wearer, a buckle at the rear thereof provided with loops, duplicate cords having eyes for attachment to books located at the sides of the belt and connected to a ring as D at the rear of the support a second ring located on said cord and having a cord as I connected thereto, said cord 1 passing through guiding means on the belt, and a cord as I passed through the loops of the buckle at the rear of the support and fastened to said ring D, and detachable means at the ends of said cords I I for connection with the skirt. I

9. A skirt lifter andsupporter consisting of a belt, a buckle at the rear of the belt provided with guiding-loops, cords adapted to be detachably connected to a skirt passed through said loops and having means for fastening to the belt, and elastic metallic plates extending above the belt adapted to support a skirt.

10. A belt, a buckle connecting the belt at the rear and provided with loops, cords passed through said loops with detachable fastening means at one end, means at the other end of said cords for fastening to the belt, elastic plates extending above the belt to support a garment and having a curved portion extending below the belt for a support therefor.

11. A belt, a buckle connecting the belt at the rear and provided withloops, cords passed through said loops with detachable fastening means at one end, adjustable fastening means at the other ends of said cords and metallic plates connected to said belt having an upwardly-prOjecting tongue anda downwardlyprojecting flexible portion as a support.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY JANE PENN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD B. Soo'r'r, MARY I. PENN. 

